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Post by Von K on Apr 7, 2023 18:44:25 GMT -5
Gail Simone Will Pen an All-New Red Sonja Novel Legendary comics writer Gail Simone talks with io9 about taking up the mantle of Red Sonja again.  Gail Simone, the legendary comics author who first began writing for Dynamite Entertainment’s Red Sonja in 2013, is returning again to the character for an all-new novel. While the character remains the same, this is not an adaptation of an older storyline, nor is it a movie tie-in; it’s going to be a totally original story.
“Gail is a generational talent in the comic world who writes the hell out of Red Sonja, and her work on this project goes down like a shot of Stygian fire whiskey!” said Luke Lieberman, President of Red Sonja, LLC, in a written statement to io9. “The team at Orbit have been great partners in elevating Sonja’s ever-growing legend.”Simone kindly answered a few questions about this new book over email. Linda Codega, io9: What makes Red Sonja such a powerful, memorable character?Gail Simone: I’ve thought about this a lot, personally. There are thousands of she-warrior characters, but there remains only one Red Sonja. She endures many different treatments in many different media, and people who love her, they love her with a passion that is incredibly endearing.My own mother was the person who convinced me to first write the character, and she’s never read a comic book in my life to my knowledge… she just loves Red Sonja. There’s something in the character that has inspired her all her life, and I’ve met people like that all over the world.Everyone loves something different about her. For me, it’s her lack of apology for who she is… most of us stumble through life hiding who we are, and asking people to forgive us every time we make the slightest social error. Sonja lives, fights and loves and asks no one’s pardon. It’s lovely.But also, the truth is, I think she simply has that secret factor, that star power, that makes one person a good singer and the other person Elvis or Beyoncé. In any story, when Sonja enters the room, you know a good time is on the way.Thousands of imitators, only one Red Sonja.io9: What are you most excited about with this adaptation?
Simone: Well, I feel incredibly lucky to be working with Orbit, who have been the best publisher anyone could ask for. They’ve been there for me (and Sonja!) every step of the way. They made us feel incredibly welcome and valued, and I’m very grateful for that. Their enthusiasm for our badass warrior is extremely gratifying. My first Zoom call with their team, they were wearing cosplay of characters I’d written, they had my graphic novels and merch on display, it just felt like I belonged immediately.
How I ended up with Sonja in the first place, it’s a funny story, I briefly had a little free time in my schedule, and the publisher, Nick Barrucci of Dynamite Comics, asked me to write Sonja. I didn’t have much time, my mom begged me to do it, so I reluctantly agreed to do just six issues, no more. By the time I was on my second issue, I asked to do six more. Then six more. Then a Zero issue. Then a major company crossover event. Then ANOTHER crossover book with all female writers like Tamora Pierce and Mercedes Lackey. And a lot more, all featuring Sonja, all written or show-run by me.
I just fell in love with her, and I can’t seem to put her down and move on. She’s become probably my favorite single character to write, and fortunately, our version has caught on with film and game companies, and finally prose… it’s a joy I never expected.
We would never have been able to do it without reader support. And of course, at the heart of it, is Sonja’s unbelievable charisma.
I am very thankful to Nick, Luke Lieberman (Sonja’s license holder and guardian angel) and Orbit for this opportunity, they all love Sonja as much as I do.io9: This is your first prose novel! What was that process like?Simone: Someone should have warned me that it’s quite a lot of work, I think! I loved doing it, in comics, you’re always worried about the amount of real estate on the page every scene takes up. Here, I could expand her world a bit. It is interesting though, I’m used to having a brilliant artist realize the surrounding details of the story, here, I am tasked to do that myself, with the reader as co-conspirator and visual artist. It’s an electric process… I love it.
I feel fortunate that I have a lot of A-list novelists to use as a sounding board and inspiration. I really wanted a barn-burner story, and fortunately, that idea can migrate mediums.
io9: Are there any Easter eggs or winks to fans that people might be able to look for in this novel?Simone: Oh, absolutely, long-time fans of the character and her world will find little nods, but we also wanted a feeling of starting fresh, letting new readers have the same entry point.
Our story takes place while Sonja has abandoned her homeland, and is at the lowest point of her life. She essentially does the worst thing, the thing she will regret forever, and has to try to find herself again, try to be the hero she has avoided being. She goes on an emotional journey unlike anything I think she’s ever had to face before, and it’s thrilling.
It’s Red Sonja, she’s always going to misbehave, bless her lusty heart!Gail Simone’s Red Sonja novel will be available from Orbit Publishing everywhere books are sold; it’s slated to arrive in the summer of 2024. Link: gizmodo.com/gail-simone-red-sonja-novel-announcement-orbit-books-1850302498First Chuck Dixon with Conan and now Gail Simone with Red Sonja. Wonder if this is beginning a trend of comicbook writers transitioning to writing novels? |
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Post by Von K on Apr 7, 2023 18:55:52 GMT -5
 Blue Lotus wine would sound better for Stygia imho. I had Nemedian Brandy in one of my fanfics and Deuce convinced me Kozaki gorilka (vodka) would be a better brew, so I changed it. But all three have likely got far less kick than Aunt Lavaca's bathtub moonshine liquor. 'Breckinriiiiiidge!' 
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Post by cromfelge on Apr 9, 2023 3:23:35 GMT -5
First Chuck Dixon with Conan and now Gail Simone with Red Sonja. Wonder if this is beginning a trend of comicbook writers transitioning to writing novels? I liked the Dixon one so far. Maybe it's a way to cure fantasy and sci-fi novels from the excessive and lengthy prose - even though I assume mainstream publishers will force comic writers to adapt the modern novel style.
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Post by Von K on Apr 9, 2023 20:10:21 GMT -5
First Chuck Dixon with Conan and now Gail Simone with Red Sonja. Wonder if this is beginning a trend of comicbook writers transitioning to writing novels? I liked the Dixon one so far. Maybe it's a way to cure fantasy and sci-fi novels from the excessive and lengthy prose - even though I assume mainstream publishers will force comic writers to adapt the modern novel style.
Would be great if that could happen. Epic fantasy still seems to be the predominant form with the mainstream publishers ever since Tolkien if the popularity of GRRM's and Brandon Sanderson's work is anything to go by. But there are still smaller publishers around that will give shorter fantasy a shot. |
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Post by Von K on Apr 17, 2023 20:42:12 GMT -5
First Chuck Dixon with Conan and now Gail Simone with Red Sonja. Wonder if this is beginning a trend of comicbook writers transitioning to writing novels? I liked the Dixon one so far. Maybe it's a way to cure fantasy and sci-fi novels from the excessive and lengthy prose - even though I assume mainstream publishers will force comic writers to adapt the modern novel style.
Some dialogue on this general topic you might like over at Brian Murphy's The Silver Key blog. Some interesting comments and perspectives there too: thesilverkey.blogspot.com/2023/04/are-we-in-new-sword-and-sorcery.htmlThanks to DMR Books Links of Steel for the linkage. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2023 9:41:45 GMT -5
I liked the Dixon one so far. Maybe it's a way to cure fantasy and sci-fi novels from the excessive and lengthy prose - even though I assume mainstream publishers will force comic writers to adapt the modern novel style.
Some dialogue on this general topic you might like over at Brian Murphy's The Silver Key blog. Some interesting comments and perspectives there too: thesilverkey.blogspot.com/2023/04/are-we-in-new-sword-and-sorcery.htmlThanks to DMR Books Links of Steel for the linkage. Thanks Von K. Very interesting post by Brian Murphy. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2023 11:39:36 GMT -5
Solicitation for the Red Sonja Omnibus:  ADVENTURES OF RED SONJA OMNIBUS HC(W) Roy Thomas, Various (A) Various (A / CA) Frank Thorne "Know also, O prince, that in those selfsame days that Conan the Cimmerian did stalk the Hyborian Kingdoms, one of the few swords worthy to cross with his was that of Red Sonja, warrior woman out of majestic Hyrkania. Forced to flee her homeland because she spurned the advances of a king and slew him instead, she rode west across the Turanian Steppes and into the shadowed mists of legendry."
– The Nemedian Chronicles
This comprehensive collection reprints the classic Red Sonja tales from Marvel Feature #1-7, Red Sonja issues #1-15, and the She-Devil's appearances from the original Marvel Comics series The Savage Sword of Conan in a single impressive volume. Presented with fully remastered color pages, this timeless tome also features a beautiful cover by legendary Red Sonja artist FRANK THORNE.$99.99 RELEASE DATE: 5 JULY 2023 |
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Post by johnnypt on Apr 23, 2023 14:04:00 GMT -5
Notice how they almost kind of make it look close to the Marvel ones so you can fit it in there and it wouldn't be too out of place. Seems like a pretty good price in any case. |
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Post by hyrkanian on Apr 24, 2023 4:42:01 GMT -5
It collects 4 TPB (20 $ each) so I guess HC costs extra 20$. 
We were discussing on RS Reddit sub how weird is that they chose white cover for RS omnibus and that they could have found some other cover art. That picture was already on the first TPB of Adventures of RS.
Dynamite really could have put a little more effort into the look of this edition. For her anniversary Sonja definitely deserves omnibus with better design.
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Post by cromfelge on Apr 24, 2023 10:09:24 GMT -5
How many pages would that new omnibus have? Most marvel omnibusses are 120$/150$ in the previews now, so 99$ indicates a smaller volume?
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Post by johnnypt on Apr 24, 2023 10:26:54 GMT -5
It collects 4 TPB (20 $ each) so I guess HC costs extra 20$.
We were discussing on RS Reddit sub how weird is that they chose white cover for RS omnibus and that they could have found some other cover art. That picture was already on the first TPB of Adventures of RS.
Dynamite really could have put a little more effort into the look of this edition. For her anniversary Sonja definitely deserves omnibus with better design.
Wasn't Volume 4 the one that took FOREVER to come out? Considering their penchant for alternate covers, surprising they didn't go for at least a different cover than one they'd already used. But if you have the opportunity to throw Conan in there... |
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Post by hyrkanian on Apr 25, 2023 8:27:54 GMT -5
How many pages would that new omnibus have? 648 pages. Wasn't Volume 4 the one that took FOREVER to come out? We are still waiting for the last volume.
 Good observation. Conan on the cover will certainly attract a lot of readers who will buy the omnibus convinced that they will see him there too. |
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Red Sonja
Apr 25, 2023 9:27:56 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by johnnypt on Apr 25, 2023 9:27:56 GMT -5
Oh that’s right, they repurposed V4 into the Further Adventures of.
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Post by cromfelge on Apr 26, 2023 14:30:24 GMT -5
The FCBD issue for Sonja gives us a short #0 for the new series as well as a reprint of the original #1 Sonja issue to promote the adventures of red sonja (note: they just show volume 1 to 3 and seem to have disregarded 4 entirely)
The #0 story is short and simple but definitely a good #0 - in the end she flees out of a town and I can already see her fleeing from someone in the first panels of #1, a typical Sword and Sorcery opening I guess.
One note on Jim Zub's recent Unbreakable Red Sonja: 5 issues, with a surprising and great conclusion that will be especially nice for Robert E. Howard fans. Starts quite normal but ends in something special and interesting in #5. Would definitely recommend getting the TPB if you didn't get the floppies.
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Post by hyrkanian on Apr 28, 2023 8:55:23 GMT -5
Oh that’s right, they repurposed V4 into the Further Adventures of. The problem is that they still haven't finished Marvel series. The second and third, with Sonja in blue tunic, is missing (2+13 issues), and also single episodes(The Day of the Red Judgment, Scavenger Hunt, 2 movie specials, etc.). One note on Jim Zub's recent Unbreakable Red Sonja: 5 issues, with a surprising and great conclusion that will be especially nice for Robert E. Howard fans. Starts quite normal but ends in something special and interesting in #5. Would definitely recommend getting the TPB if you didn't get the floppies. This mini-series is a pleasant refreshment compared to the short RS series that we have been able to read lately and I would rate it as very good. It was close to being excellent. It's not easy for me to give a final score for this mini run because it was too short and ended too quickly, which is a real shame, because Jim had great ideas, and this story had great potential for something epic, which was unfortunately underutilized. Here I am primarily referring to the war between the Hyborian gods, and we were also deprived of more interaction between young and adult Sonja. Besides, just as there were great things, there were also flaws. The flaws are mostly related to some illogical actions, implausible events (massacre of Hyborian gods) and one inappropriate (modern, out of place) line about religion from Sonja. The artists were solid (Garcia who drew the last two episodes I liked better), they both drew some really nice panels even though their drawing quality was inconsistent throughout the series. The fact is that the artists were in the shadow of the writer, which we have already become accustomed to in Sonja's comics in recent years.
In the last issue, I liked the opening the most as well as the appearance of Scáthach. At the beginning, Sonja relives her tragic past - she is aware of what will happen to her family and herself, but she is powerless to change anything. Creepy and brutal. Those pages are among the best I've ever read in Sonja's comics. 
The return of Scáthach as Sonja's patron Goddess with whom she is inextricably connected was the most pleasant surprise in this series.
And Jim did it masterfully.
Scathach shows up in the big style and with two powerful sentences, like those spoken in Oeming's run. - This is a bond shared between us Sonja, an unbreakable vow. - Since we first met long ago, you have always carried a shard of my golden light within you. The twist at the end was extraordinary-unexpected and effective. I already wrote about the faithful portrayal of Sonja's character and her striking lines in the comments of previous issues, but in the last two episodes there were good examples of that also:
"Red Sonja's future was forged by choices made in her past." - If we're going to die, we'll do it with blood on our lips and blade in hand. - I am not here to destroy anyone’s faith, however misguided it may be. -We bow to no one A special plus for the tribute to REH and Sonja's literary ancestor Sonya, which we saw at the end of the series.
All covers by Celina were spectacular, this one is my favorite:
As for Jim, after the terrible RS/Conan crossover with Gail Simone, he's back on track where he started with Sonja in the RS and the Cub one-shot. I'm looking forward to his Conan for Titan. |
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